In the Media

Mission Strategy USA/Canada Annual Report to the 2005 General Board

Mission USA/Canada

The United States is home to an estimated 6.5 million Muslims, 6 million Jews, 5.1 million Mormons, 1.5 million Hindus and 1.5 million Buddhists. A mission field is on America's doorstep.

Mission Strategy, through Multicultural Ministries is consumed with the mantra that the world is at our doorstep, and we have the opportunity to share the Gospel with people who will go back to their home countries occasionally or who may return to their home country permanently. We have an opportunity to do world missions and to evangelize virtually the whole world -- at least in a representative fashion.

• Nazarene Native Mission Training Center
  
  In 2001 NIBC severed its relationship as a branch campus of Nazarene Bible College in order to become a Mission Training Center for Native Ministries in the United States and Canada. The Board of Directors has submitted organizational recommendations for approval by the General Board. These changes include amendments to the bylaws and change of name. The Board of Directors recently elected Rev. Tom Cahill Jr. as the new executive director of the ministry.
  
  
• NMTC Transition
  
  In the future the facility will be used as a leadership training center for various people groups, as well as a gathering place for events sponsored by the New Mexico and adjoining Nazarene districts. Dr. Roberto Hodgson, Hispanic Ministries mission coordinator, has developed a residential program for the training of future pastors for ministry in Hispanic communities. With the translation of the educational modules into Spanish, the ambitious program would complete the ordination requirements in eighteen months.
  
  
• Nazarene Building Professionals
  
  The Mission Strategy office supports the work of NBP, an association of architects, contractors, building professionals, artisans, real estate agents, and financial consultants that are skilled in the planning, remodeling, or construction of Nazarene churches.
  
  All members are dedicated Christians in good standing with their local churches, who could be approached with the expectation of receiving a sincere interest and response without obligation.
  
  Multicultural Ministries
  
  
• Mission Directors
  
  The following Mission Directors upon the approval of the BGS serve as consultants to pastors and district superintendents for evangelism and starting churches among specific people groups.
• Terry and Joan Read, Canada Mission Directors
• Roberto Hodgson, USA/Canada Hispanic Mission Director
• Roland Edouard, USA/Canada Haitian Mission Director
• Kim Lundell, USA/Canada Korean Mission Director
• John Nells, USA/Canada Native Ministries Mission Director
• Elmer Gillett, USA/Canada Black Ministries Director
  
  
• Mission

Multicultural Ministries is committed to helping our denomination become a racially just, culturally diverse, spiritually vibrant and growing church in the US and Canada, that gives expression to the richness of its faith, heritage and experiences. It is a ministry that embraces the challenge of including all Nazarenes as partners in ministry at all levels of its corporate structure. It is our prayer that changes may be seen as an opportunity to become the church that God intended.

As a corollary we have opportunities today that did not exist a mere 40 years ago. In 1965 the national origins quota system was abolished and the immigration code was rewritten, allowing for an influx of immigrants into America. This means that more people from such places as Asia, Africa, and Latin America. The 2000 census data has documented that in the 1990s the Hispanic population increased by 48 percent and the Asian population by 40 percent.

• Multicultural Ministries Council
  
  The chairpersons of 21 minority groups represent the best leadership of our various minority/immigrant groups and have made themselves available to advise and consult when called upon to help train minority leaders and start churches in minority neighborhoods. "
  
  
• Multicultural Strategy
  
  The twenty-one strategy committees are composed of leaders recommended by their respective district superintendents. With support from the Mission Strategy office they meet occasionally throughout the year to consider needs and opportunities for engaging in missions targeted at the growing number of minority people groups in the United States and Canada.
  
• Immigration Ministries
  
  In cooperation with World Relief, the Multicultural Ministries office provides resources to assist with issues related to citizenship, religious worker visas and referrals to certified immigration counselors and attorneys. One-day conferences are offered to encourage evangelism and church planting among immigrant groups.
  
  Hispanic Ministries -- Dr. Roberto Hodgson
  
• Master Teacher Plan
  
  During PALCON five Spanish workshops were presented to train Pastor Teachers to teach with the new modular curriculum and to become familiar with the new system. The workshops were presented at eight of the regional PALCON events and nearly 100 Hispanic pastors participated in the training. As a result of this training and information, several new District Ministerial Education Centers (DMEC) are being establishing and others are adopting the modular curriculum for ordination. One of these new DMECs is in Oklahoma and is going to serve all the districts with Hispanic ministries in the area. The first course was launched on November 6. The DMEC will offer 6 courses a year.
  
• Modules Translation
  
  First draft translations of six modules have been completed. Rev. Jose Pacheco is revising the modules and planning to complete the revisions by the end of the year. Also one elective course "Church Planting" has been completed. The modular courses are going to be distributed by the Clergy Development office to all districts and to the Pastor Teachers.
  
• ENTE
  
  ENTE celebrated its third intensive week of classes and inaugurated its residential program during the week of September 5-11. As a part of the program two courses were offered and 24 students were enrolled. The courses taught were: "Spiritual Formation", by Dr. Accel Ruiz, and "Christian Ministry", by Dr. Roberto Hodgson. The 24 students represented the following districts: Central Florida, Dallas, Georgia, Kansas, Kansas City, New Mexico, Metro New York and West Texas.
  
  Eleven of the students are presently involved in pastoral ministry. ENTE is serving three different student populations: students in residence; students from the Albuquerque area; and students that come twice a year for one-week intensive classes to take two courses. At the present, there are nine students in the residential program (three couples and four singles) and seven students from the Albuquerque area. Since September two courses have been taught and two more will be completed the first semester (ending in December). The second semester is scheduled with seven courses. ENTE has more than twenty qualified and experienced faculty who are scheduled to teach in the program on a rotating basis. These faculty members are all translating the modules that they teach at the program.
  
• Nazarene Secular Campus Mission
  
  There are more than 20 million students, faculty and staff on college and university campuses through the United States and Canada. These people represent every race, every nationality, and every world region on the globe. These campus communities are easily identified and highly organized. In the US there are a total of 1,646 public colleges and universities, and a total of 1,081 campuses have more than 5,000 students.
  
  The NSCM Strategy Committee seeks to establish faith communities to engage secular campus communities in the US and Canada with the Great Commission and the Great Commandment. The U.S. Department of State has said that "tomorrow's world leaders are being educated in the United States today." At present, seven Nazarene churches have organized ministry to one or more college/university campus communities.
  
• Translated Sunday School Curriculum on the Internet
  
  In cooperation with Sunday School Ministries, Nazarene Publishing House and World Mission Literature, the Mission Strategy office leads projects to provide Korean, Chinese and French translations of the adult curriculum on the Internet.
  
• Scholarship Funds
  
  An endowment for the Minority Scholarship Fund continues to provide a source of financial assistance to minority students preparing for pastoral ministry in Nazarene institutions. An additional fund is being used as an endowment for the development of African American church leaders. The interest from this fund has helped to underwrite the sponsorship of the Rogers-Cunningham-Bowman Leadership Symposium, an annual event that attracted 40 Black pastors to the campus of Nazarene Bible College in Colorado Springs in September 2004. The symposium centers on culture-specific ministry in the African American community and has been hailed as an important asset in leadership preparation and development.
  
• Multicultural Missional Leadership Forum
  
  Eighteen young leaders gathered at the King Conference Center in November to take part in the Multicultural Missional Leadership Forum. In a pluralistic world, it has become necessary to not take for granted the challenges that such diversity presents. Instead, the onus is upon us to promote a climate where diversity is acclaimed and honored by our deliberate actions. The theme of the convocation was "to know and be known." The representatives were selected by an ad hoc advisory group that included Mission Strategy staff and leaders from the various people groups.
  
  In addressing the group, general superintendent Jesse Middendorf said, "future leadership in the Church of the Nazarene will have to be indigenous to the extent that you are willing to help us understand the culture."
  
  Tom Nees, director of the USA/Canada Mission Evangelism department, said, "The forum is an avenue to concentrate on the leadership issues critical to success in pastoral ministry as well as an orientation to the infrastructure of the Church of the Nazarene."
  
  Nazarene Compassionate Ministries USA/Canada - Rev. Dan Soliday
  
  Rev. Dan Soliday began full-time assignment as the Coordinator for Nazarene Compassionate Ministries, USA/Canada in April 2004. Dan has spent considerable time in the field building relationships with CMC directors, pastors and District Superintendents in order to develop a NCM USA/Canada strategy for the next several years. Our CMC & Good Samaritan church networks continue to increase. Our network consists of nearly 200 Compassionate Ministry Center and approximately 1,500 Good Samaritan churches.
  
  Nazarene churches across the USA & Canada have caught the vision of compassion and are beginning to be proactive in their development of compassionate ministries. This has created a wonderful dilemma. It has increased our capacity to serve those in need throughout the USA & Canada, but it has also increased our need for more structure for developing and strengthening our organizations.
  
• Faith-Based Intermediary Status
  
  NCM USA/Canada continues to work with FASTEN and other organizations to develop its capacity as an Intermediary organization. As an intermediary, NCM will work to develop the structure and funding necessary to enhance and strengthen our CMC's. NCM USA/Canada continues to network with private & public agencies, foundations and faith communities to benefit our network and create new funding streams for our organizations
  
• Compassionate Ministries Leadership Retreat
  
  Over 25 Executive Directors attended a Compassionate Ministries Leadership Retreat at the NMTC campus in Albuquerque, NM. Alan Rodda led the sessions by helping our directors process fundamental issues of non-profit development. Attendees benefited from the discussions, activities and networking opportunities. The NCM USA/Canada Regional Coordinators gathered prior to the leadership retreat for a NCM planning session. During that session, a NCM Taskforce was created to develop a multi-level structure for providing technical assistance and developing CMC's in our network.
  
• NCM Taskforce
  
  A Taskforce was created in the spring of 2004 to strategically design and implement a multi-level development structure for CMC's. In September 2004, the taskforce met for the first time and began the development process. They created a 4-level structure for non-profit development that will guide our CMC's in the following seven crucial areas:
  • Legal Documentation
  • Mission/Vision/Planning
  • Board Development
  • Financial Accountability
  • Fund Development
  • Human Resources
  • Program Development

  
  Start-up organizations will begin in level 1, and be given the opportunity and coaching needed to advance through the levels to level 4. Each level will have prerequisites as well as incentives for reaching the next level. The Taskforce continues to create and refine the structure that will hopefully be ready for implementation at the 2005 General Assembly.
  

• New Website & General Assembly Booth
  
  NCM USA/Canada and NCM International have combined efforts to design a new website that will cooperatively express the mission of NCM while maintaining our distinctive and diverse fields of ministry. We are also working to create a combined booth that will bridge UCME and World Mission at our General Assembly in 2005. This collaboration is being forged to express the global and unifying mission of compassion in the Church of the Nazarene.
  

• Compassionate Ministry Leadership Conference 2004
  
  In October 2004, NCM conducted its Annual Leadership Conference in Indianapolis, IN. It was a record turnout, with almost 300 in attendance. Hudson Institute Fellow and FASTEN Director, Amy Sherman, was the plenary speaker for Saturday. Her spirit and gifted insight into the threefold mandate of the gospel (Faith, Compassion & Justice) was both informative and inspirational. Dr. Oliver Phillips closed the conference on Sunday morning with an incredible message of Grace & Hope. 20 workshops were offered on a variety of compassionate ministry topics. The weekend was a powerful combination of education, networking, inspiration and renewal. We have received a great deal of positive and constructive feedback from our Leadership Conference.
  

• Nazarene Compassionate Ministries Fund
  
  The 20 percent of undesignated contributions to the NCM Fund made available to the USA/Canada Mission/Evangelism Department provided for administrative expenses and grants to support a wide variety of district and church-sponsored compassionate ministries. The Department directors serve as a Grant Review Committee to consider and approve grant applications.
  

• Nazarene Disaster Response
  
  Under the leadership of NDR's National Director, J.V. Morsch, Nazarenes have impacted the lives of countless individuals and families traumatized by tragedy. NDR includes national, regional and district coordinators giving leadership to a national network of volunteers prepared to respond to personal and church needs suffered by Nazarenes and others during natural disasters. This year NDR has responded to families affected by hurricanes, floods & fires throughout the USA and Canada.
  
  NDR continues to be the denomination's ready response to disasters throughout the United States and Canada. With a moment's notice, this corps of volunteers represents a compassionate presence and witness of the community of faith beyond the interests of the Church of the Nazarene.
  

• Nazarene Compassionate Ministries Inc.
  
  NCM, Inc. was created by the General Board in 1990 as a separate non-profit corporation designed to raise money and other resources primarily outside the church to support compassionate ministries. NCM, Inc. is registered with the United States Agency for International Development and has obtained several grants from the U.S. government as well as from other charitable organizations. NCM, Inc. also receives payroll contributions through the United Way and the Combined Federal Campaign. NCM, Inc. handles the collection and shipping of gifts-in-kind to mission fields, including clothing, Crisis Care Kits, computers and medical supplies. Bob Prescott, the Executive Director of NCM, Inc. will be working closely with NCM USA/Canada to help secure funding for non-profit development for our CMC's within our new intermediary structure. NCM, Inc., NCM USA/Canada and NCM International are working together to develop a cooperative and comprehensive funding strategy for the entire NCM structure.
  

• Volunteerism - Work & Witness
  
  Tim and Debbie Van Hook continue to serve as the Work & Witness coordinators for the United States and Canada. The appointment is a collaborative initiative between Mission Strategy and the World Mission Department. They are working very hard to recruit and train Work & Witness teams and to help ministries prepare for the use of these teams for service in the United States and Canada.
  
  Urban Ministries
  
  In recognition of the exciting rebirth that is underway in many city centers across America, Mission Strategy would like to help districts and local congregations shape ministry that is contextually relevant. Churches located in the heart of many urban centers could be the most important sources for renewal.
  

• Urban Initiatives
  
  With a growing recognition that cities represent the epicenter of God's abiding grace, Mission Strategy has initiated urban strategy workshops with district superintendents and their leadership in an effort to formulate designs for an increased holiness presence. Workshops are being implemented upon requests from district leadership teams and district superintendents.
  
  In the future Mission Strategy shall continue to partner with districts to develop strategies for launching assaults on cities by:
  1. Assessing urban ministry potential through a SWOT analysis
  2. Assisting in urban strategy for district and local congregations
  3. Exploring the options available through demographic research
• Urban Mission Resource Centers
  
  With the increasing stock of church buildings vacated by urban plight, Mission Strategy would help design strategies to transition these edifices into Urban Mission Resource Centers. These buildings would be transformed into centers of comprehensive missional opportunities for the training of urban leaders and the implementation of strategies and programs for urban evangelism.
  
  A UMRC would create its own 501(c) 3, with a board of directors and shall be resourced by funding from a partnership of interested congregations, foundations and state entities. This opportunity could be the catalyst for a NewStart congregation as well as the conduit for urban community organization and development.
  
  UMRC concerns:
  
  Education: Providing education about changing communities, issues concerning urban ministry and ways churches can respond, small church ministry, and other relevant topics.
  
  Research: Providing congregations with practical information about their community, including demographic and sociological analysis. Statistical analysis and interpretation may also be available.
  
  Training: The urban community brings special challenges in interpersonal relationships. The Center will provide education seminars and personal development workshops in the areas of human diversity, racism, reconciliation and relationship issues.
  
  Community Development: The center would be the incubator for the implementation of programs that address the structural barriers that hinder residents from assessing community services and entitlements.
  
  The Urban Imperative is a video and a booklet. Both resources depict the burning need to collectively respond to the challenges and opportunities that the urban mystique presents to the church today.
  
  The Nazarene Centennial Urban Renaissance is a national event being planned for the city of Philadelphia. With the theme of "To the City with Love," the critical objectives of the city plunge are:
  --- To promote a national event that adds an urban emphasis to the centennial initiative.
  --- To cooperate with the Philadelphia District to identify inadequately evangelized people groups and to pursue their evangelization.
  --- To locate Anglo communities in urban areas that have been overlooked and are deprived economically and spiritually and help establish ministry by setting the groundwork to start new churches.
  --- To demonstrate a denominational commitment to establish a holiness presence in urban areas.
  --- To equip leaders by conducting workshops and seminars on church-related community development.
  --- To coordinate the development of an Urban Mission Resource Center to serve the Philadelphia District, and possibly multi-districts.
  --- To celebrate the accomplishments of national CMC's and GSC's in their outreach to the poor and marginalized.
  
  Ministry Support
  
• Rev. Dan Soliday, coordinator of Nazarene Compassionate Ministries US/Canada, transitioned from being pastor of historic Los Angeles, to this new position. Dan is passionate about the need to strengthen our CMC's and for aggressive networking in communities. We welcome Dan into our Mission Strategy office.
  
• Dr. Roberto Hodgson, mission director for Hispanic Ministries, relocated to Kansas City, a move that was precipitated by the unprecedented growth of Hispanic congregations in the recent past. Hodgson is a value added to the department because of his excellent bi-lingual skills and his multicultural insights.
  
• Ryan Scott, office assistant, is a new and welcome addition to our ministry and gives technical and administrative leadership for Nazarene Compassionate Ministries USA/Canada. Ryan is a graduate of Eastern Nazarene College.
  
• Ms. Susan Grube, administrative assistant, is first voice one usually hears when calling the ministry office. With a wealth of administrative experience, Susan has brought a new sense of clerical wisdom that facilitates the mission of the ministry to be a conduit of resources and information to the field.
  
  Future Events:
• All the Nations Multicultural Service - June 25, 2005. This event would be held at the Convention Center in Indianapolis and coincides with the General Assembly.
• Nazarene Centennial Urban Renaissance - April 4 - 6, 2006. This event is being planned for Philadelphia with the theme, "To the City with Love."
  
  SPECIAL THANKS
  Everyone in our office has been blessed to be in a working relationship with Dr. Tom Nees, director of US/Canada Mission Evangelism department. Tom inspires us by his visionary zeal, resolute commitment to the denomination, and penchant for us to have our ears attune to the needs of those who serve in the field. In Dr. Nees, the department has a leader who motivates us to be radical optimists in the midst of gloomy reports and widespread decline of membership in mainline denominations. We thank him for being an "encourager in ministry."

--Board of General Superintendents, NCN News